Singaporean of the Year finalist: Young community first responder has helped over 70 since he was 16

Among his friends, community first responder Darryl Lee, 20, has earned the nickname “Batman” for his late-night heroics. 

Since becoming a first responder to alerts for medical assistance at 16, Mr Lee has responded to calls at any hour of the day, including in the middle of the night at 3am or 5am.

“Most of the time, I am already asleep. But when the alert sounds, I will just accept (the request) and go,” the second-year nursing student at Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) said.

Mr Lee has responded to 77 calls for assistance, which included 65 cardiac arrests on the myResponder app. The app, launched by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), alerts community first responders of cardiac arrest cases or minor fires nearby through a distinct blaring alarm.

Other times, he stops what he is doing, be it eating his meal or hanging out with friends, to respond to a case.

“I always brace myself for whenever the alert comes,” said Mr Lee, who carries a first aid kit with him at all times. 

He is usually at home when the myResponder alert sounds. The cases he responds to are within 800m of where he is.

As it is crucial to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and perform defibrillation within the first six minutes of a cardiac arrest case, he runs to try to reach the person in distress within three to four minutes.

Mr Lee is a finalist for The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year award, which is given to a Singaporean or group of citizens who have made a significant contribution to society. This can be through achievements that put Singapore on the world stage, or by going beyond the call of duty to selflessly improve the lives of others in the community, among other ways.

The Singaporean of the Year Award, now in its 11th year, is organised by The Straits Times, and presented by UBS Singapore.

Helping others is a value that has been deeply ingrained in Mr Lee by his parents. 

“Since young, my parents taught me to be respectful and helpful to others,” Mr Lee said, sharing how his mother would step forward to help children lost in public.

Witnessing his parents’ kindness made him “always want to help someone in need”. 

His mother works in an administrative role, while his father works in the food and beverage industry. Mr Lee also has an older sister.

When he was 12, he was inspired by local police drama series C.L.I.F., which featured SCDF and police officers regularly helping people. 

His interest in joining nursing solidified after he attended a three-day healthcare elective module in 2021, as a Secondary 4 student at Bukit View Secondary School.

“Learning about healthcare helps me in my everyday life, and (allows me) to pass the knowledge on to my friends and family,” Mr Lee said. “I like to share my knowledge so that others know what to do in times of crisis, and they do not just panic.”

After graduation, he will pursue an additional diploma in paramedic science at NYP under the SCDF Home Team sponsorship award.

‘Never know what to expect’

Mr Lee still gets an adrenaline rush whenever the alert sounds. “You never know what to expect until you reach the scene,” he said.

Although the alert might classify a case as cardiac arrest, Mr Lee said that there have been instances where the patient is unconscious from having a seizure.

“There are also cases where it is clear that the patient has already passed away a while ago. So, maybe the body has stiffened up, or the skin colour has already started to change,” he said.

“These cases make me think about what I can do better, or if there is anything other than comfort that I can bring to the family.”

To keep himself calm and prepared for any situation, Mr Lee has a list of questions in his head to help him assess the situation quickly.

For instance, he notes how many people are around to help out and if the patient needs to be moved to a more spacious place to do CPR. 

Mr Lee said he knows not to blame himself for every unsuccessful resuscitation attempt, as first responders are limited in their capabilities to help someone.

Instead, he focuses his energy on reflecting about what he has done well and things that could have been done better, so that he is better prepared to help the next patient.

Most of the first responders he meets are working adults, and Mr Lee hopes to encourage more young people to step forward and become a first responder.

“When you are young, you have more strength, and you have the ability to do CPR for a longer period without being tired,” he said. He adds that it is an important skill to have because “cardiac arrests can happen any time”.

He remembers a case that happened at midnight in August 2023, when he attended to a middle-aged man who had suffered a cardiac arrest at home. SCDF arrived and sent the unconscious man to the hospital.

Mr Lee only found out the man survived two weeks later when he spotted him having a meal at a coffee shop. It did not matter that the man did not recognise Mr Lee, who said he was still glad that he was able to make an impact on someone’s life.

“It warms my heart to see the patients I helped be able to walk on their own again,” he said. “It really means a lot that our small efforts can make a really big difference.”

Singaporean of the Year award

The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year award is given to a Singaporean or group of citizens who have made a significant contribution to society. This can be through achievements that put Singapore on the world stage, or by going beyond the call of duty to selflessly improve the lives of others in the community, among other ways.

International Impact award 

The award seeks to honour a Singaporean or Singapore organisation that has made a positive impact beyond our borders, contributing to Singapore’s global reputation.

The person or organisation must have delivered a project, initiative or body of work that benefited a community or country outside of Singapore.

Young Singaporean of the Year award 

The award seeks to recognise a Singaporean who is under 18 years old and has shown courage, compassion, empathy, kindness and/or a spirit of service, and has made a positive impact among peers.

The awards are organised by The Straits Times and presented by UBS Singapore. The official airline partner is Singapore Airlines, and the global hotel partner is Millennium Hotels and Resorts. 

Prizes

Singaporean of the Year award 

• $20,000 in cash for award recipient

• One pair of Singapore Airlines business class tickets for each individual/group; up to three pairs of tickets for the winning group

• A five-night stay in any of Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ properties globally, up to a maximum of three sets of accommodation for the winning group

• $5,000 in cash for each individual/group finalist

• One pair of Singapore Airlines economy class tickets for each individual/group; up to a maximum of three pairs for each group of finalists

• A three-night stay in one of Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ properties globally, up to a maximum of three sets of accommodation for each finalist.

International Impact award

• $20,000 cash for award recipient

Young Singaporean of the Year award

• $5,000 in cash for award recipient

• A pair of SIA economy class tickets

• A three-night stay in one of Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ properties globally